Winter 2000

Blue Coat Charity School - Post Box - Post Box - Hartington Blue Stilton

Blue Coat Charity School

The curious thing about my mother’s parents is that they were both in institutions for most of their childhood. Sarah Ellen Mayfield, my grandmother was in a home for girls on City Road (see August 2000 issue) and after his father died, my grandfather, Ernest William Frost, was put in the Blue Coat Charity School for fatherless boys. His mother did marry again, although there is some doubt in the family as to whether the ceremony ever took place.

The building which housed the Blue Coat Charity School, before it moved to new premises on Psalter Lane, still stands at the end of East Parade in the centre of Sheffield. The railings which bounded the roof top play area can still be plainly seen at the rear of the building from the end of York Street. The school was altered at some time in its early days by a benefactor to provide this playground in the sky. Apparently local people were outraged at the boys playing amongst the gravestones of the Parish Church (now the Cathedral).

The boys were boarded at the school though they could go home on Friday evening to be back by early Saturday evening, that is if they had a home to go to and if good behaviour allowed. They wore a uniform consisting of trousers in green corduroy with a buttoned flap at the front. The thickly padded jacket was bright blue, cut away at the front, and with tails at the back, edged in bright yellow. The matching flat cap was also edged in yellow. The coat had brass buttons, and a linen collar with two tabs at the front (similar to those worn today by barristers) completed the outfit.

The school was run in military fashion with older boys wearing sergeants and corporals stripes. Even for the times, discipline was harsh. As the boys moved about the school they were marched around in perfect time. Meals were eaten in total silence and any infringement of the rules was met by brutal punishment. it was said that one headmaster was very skilful in creating a perfect latticework of weals on a boy's hand with a special cane that was weighted at one end.

In addition to schoolwork the boys cleaned the school and helped out with other domestic duties, such as washing clothes. One old boy noted in his memoirs an incident when a boy was helping with domestic duties and he gashed his hand quite badly. When the boy’s wound had healed he was punished for allowing his uniform to become bloodstained.

The day began with reveille at 5.30 am. This former pupil, who was at the school some years later than my grandfather, tells of the novel method the headmaster had of ensuring that reveille was sounded promptly. The older boys had to take turns to do this duty. Every evening the headmaster gave them a tobacco tin with a fully wound watch inside. They were instructed never to touch the watch, but to put the tin beneath their pillow and look at the watch from time to time. This lasted for a week at a time. One can imagine how tired these boys would become, not daring to risk punishment by oversleeping. The day ended with a parade, hymns and prayers before bedtime.

The boys were paraded in the Church every Sunday so that the Trustees and other patrons of the school could have their good works publicly acknowledged. They were also seen at various civic events, notably the annual Cutlers’ Feast where the boys would drill to the applause of the assembled company of local dignitaries. My grandfather once told me that he had been chosen to ride on the inaugural run of the first electric tram in Sheffield in 1897.

Perhaps the only advantage in attending the school was the fact that the boys did receive a good education compared to the elementary schools of the day. Many of the boys were found good positions when they left the school. One of my grandfather's contemporaries eventually became a bank manager.

An excellent scholar, particularly so at mathematics, my grandfather might have expected to be given a similar opportunity. Here the cruel hand of fate in the shape of his ‘stepfather’ appeared. He took Ernest William away from the school just before his 13th birthday. Running his own cutlery business as a ‘Little Mester’ he knew that the boy would make the perfect apprentice because he wouldn’t have to pay him very much, if at all.

So my grandfather began his working life as an apprentice pen knife forger.

The Charity School owned a quarry on Psalter Lane, using the revenues from renting it out for the school. The need for bigger premises led to the Trustees using the quarry site and its stone to build a new school, which opened in 1911.

During the early 1920's the Trustees decided to retire the Headmaster and the Matron, replacing them with a married couple. The climate of the school changed radically as the new Headmaster and his wife showed the boys kindness and understanding.

At the outbreak of the 2nd World War, the school was closed because the premises were requisitioned by the Military. After the War, Sheffield Corporation took over responsibility for the premises, but the Blue Coat Charity School never returned. The premises were first used as an Emergency Training College and then later became the College of Art.

Joan Mettam

Post Box

Dear Sir,

Following the article from David Memmott, regarding the Bradway Sunday School, my two daughters did attend there during the 1960's and after the retirement of Mrs Nixon, my eldest daughter, Jean, (now Crossland) and her friend Annette Lees carried on running the Sunday School until its closure in 1968.

My younger daughter, Julie (now Carrington) was I think, the last May Queen from Bradway that year. Both are still local, living in Dronfield Woodhouse and Jean is at the present time, Treasurer of the Townswomen’s Guild. Annette also is living with her family in Norton after being away from Sheffield for sometime. Her father Harold Lees will be remembered as the Golfing pro at the Dore and Totley golf course for many years.

Joyce Wynne

Dear Sir,

In Spring this year we became somewhat concerned that public rights of way over an ancient and important access from Bradway to Woodthorpe Hall, Holmesfield and Holmesfield Woods and to footpaths from the Robin Hood at Holmesfield into the Cordwell Valley and beyond into Derbyshire, were in danger of being lost. A most important local amenity. This is a vital link from the edge of the City through woodland to open countryside.

Sheffield City Council had erected small signs saying “Footpath Closed” where Totley Lane bridleway, runs from the tarmac section of Totley Lane/Ox Close Ave to the rear of the flats/shops on Longford Road. Time went by and the signs remained and the bridleway closed.

A telephone enquiry to the Town Hall’s Planning, Transport and Highways Dept established that the closure was to enable essential repairs to be carried out at the Longford Road end. We were informed that these had been completed but the bridleway nevertheless remains closed.

A few years ago a group of local residents, including ourselves, helped to clear this part of the bridleway from where it narrows and goes down hill. At that time the Council undertook to surface the bridleway with gravel/ hardcore if the local residents cleared the undergrowth. We are therefore well aware of the practical difficulty of maintaining it.

We did our bit but the Council didn’t provide the promised maintenance. Indeed, no maintenance whatsoever has been undertaken by the Council over the top part of the bridleway as far as we are aware since we moved here over 20 years ago.

The difficulties in maintenance are due to a combination of clay soil and bad drainage, obviously beyond the ability/funds of most of the local residents’. The problem could be cured however if the Council complied with its statutory obligations as it has at the bottom section of the bridleway from Longford Road, running down to Mickley Lane where some years ago by the laying of tarmac and construction of steps, very posh!

Whilst we are unsure whether similar treatment is appropriate on the top section of the path, completion of this vital missing link between Ox Close Ave and Longford Road would allow people to walk or ride on it at all times, not just when the weather is dry.

Local residents and other members of the public who use the bridleway, believe that some attention needs to be given to this ancient and historic bridleway. We sought the Council’s written comments. They replied in June stating that:

"The condition of this bridleway has been a concern to us for some time, but unfortunately due to lack of funding we are able to do the minimum to keep it open. We have resolved the flooding only

problem by clearing out the entrance to the culvert and we hope to modify this culvert inlet to prevent future blockages. We shall also be clearing the route of debris and overgrown vegetation.

You are aware the physical nature of this bridleway makes it difficult to drain and resurface. Access for machinery is also a problem due to the large number of trees along its route. However 1 shall be arranging a meeting with a contractor to determine what can be done if funds are available.

We appreciate the significance of this ancient route and we intend to preserve it."

Nothing appears to have been done in the 5 months that have elapsed subsequently. Some local residents now feel that we have waited patiently enough. We are therefore intending, on Saturday/Sunday 13/14th January 2001 to organise another two undergrowth clearing days similar to the ones we did a few years ago and which turned out to be great fun for all concerned. A little something to get rid of the Xmas bulge! Anyone interested should contact us on 236 3229 for further details.

We wondered whether the readers of your magazine would be interested in helping restore the footpath again, or even making their views known to the Council.

Peter & Alyson Dungworth

Ed. The Bugle is all in favour of direct action and has offered some financial  support.

Hartington Blue Stilton

There can be few cheese lovers who have not heard of Hartington Blue Stilton, a cheese Derbyshire can be truly proud of. Hartington Creamery in Dovedale, has been producing Blue Stilton for 100 years.

Back in the 1600's only white Stilton was produced by cheese makers. Then somewhere an error in the cheese making process led to some white Stilton ‘veining’. Cheese makers were delighted with the taste of the new cheese and Blue Stilton was created! Its fame soon spread and demand rose.

In 1876 the Duke of Devonshire opened a cheese-making dairy on the site of the present Creamery so that his tenant farmers could better utilise their milk, principally to make Stilton. Unfortunately the venture failed as a business and was closed in 1895.

Then one Thomas Nuttall of Beeby, Leicestershire bought the site on 1st April 1900, reopened it as a Stilton creamery and began making cheese commercially, processing 50 gallons of milk a day.

His son, John Marriott (JM) Nuttall, ran the business successfully through the First World War and continued to expand their Stilton business, purchasing dairies in the Leicestershire villages of Scalford, Wymeswold and Old Dalby. In 1929 the factory was destroyed by a fire and was replaced by a much bigger and more modern operation now processing 2,000 gallons a day.

During the Second World War only small  amounts of Stilton were produced - just enough to maintain cheese making skills. In 1962 Hartington Creamery was sold to the Milk Marketing Board and production increased to 3,500 gallons per day.

In 1974 the factory was rebuilt with one of the first EEC Grants. Production then increased to 10,000 gallons per day. Finally in 1982 the Creamery became a division of Dairy Crest and in the following years, Buxton Blue, Dovedale and Blue Wensleydale cheeses were developed. Now on a typical day around 18,000 gallons (90,000 litres) of milk are processed into cheese.

Compared with 100 years ago the recipe has hardly changed, only now cheese makers combine the traditional skills and techniques with modern technology and have benefited from the improved quality and consistency of milk from the farm.

Firstly milk is pasteurised and poured into vats where a starter culture and rennet are added. This produces curds, which are cut into cubes, and whey, which is drained off. The next day the curd is salted, milled and mixed before being placed in plastic hoops, or moulds, for about a week.

Every day the hoops are turned over to  allow more whey to drain off. When the hoop is removed the cheese is smoothed down and placed in a controlled temperature and humidity store where the golden coats form. Each cheese is turned regularly to ensure it has an even texture.

The final stage is the piercing with stainless steel needles at about eight weeks of age. This allows oxygen to enter the cheese and activate the friendly penicillium mould which creates the blue veining.

It takes 5 tonnes of milk to make 1 tonne of Stilton and the Creamery produces 2,500 tonnes of Stilton per year - that means around 300,000 cheeses!

Today the Creamery employs over 150 people, some of whom are third and fourth generation employees, and operates 365 days of the year. Dairy Crest manufactures almost half the Blue Stilton made in the UK and most of the changes that have occurred are in packaging and distribution. Traditionally most Stiltons were sold to wholesalers and even in the mid 80s, almost 90% of cheese took this route to end customers. Now 70% is pre-packed for major food retailers, such as J Sainsbury, Marks & Spencer and Safeway, who require frequent deliveries of the halves, rings, quarters, wedges and pick and mix into their depots.

In addition to its Stilton range, Hartington produces regional blue cheeses such as Blue Wensleydale, Buxton Blue and Dovedale, a continental style mould ripened soft cheese with blue veins.

You can buy cheese virtually from the Creamery at The Old Cheese Shoppe in the centre of Hartington. Opened in the 1980's it sells over 50 different types of cheese and is now a tourist attraction in its own right. You can find out more about Hartington cheese at its own web site  www.hartingtoncheese.com which allows people to survey the entire range of cheeses produced by the company and purchase them via the internet.

Ed. 3 Port and Stilton packs worth £10 each have been donated by Hartington Creamery, for our Christmas competition elsewhere in this issue.

Go to Bradway Bugle Past Issues

Web site maintenance by
Stratton & English Software Ltd.